Eugene,
I agree with you. The value you put on a question is measured by points earned. At least, that is how students will see it. Good point.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Susan,
You are correct. I use case studies to assess application. I also look at material provided by publishers.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Gloria,
I agree with you! You want to see continued mastery of content as you assess other areas. Good assessment take s work!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hello All,
Good afternoon! When looking at summative assessments, there are many important points to consider. Two important items to consider are:
1. The assessment corresponds to the lesson that was taught and actually measures the desired learning outcome. Giving students assessments that does not relate to the lesson or objectives is counter-productive.
2. Assuming the set up of the assessment is a valid one, then student performance is what is most important. Did they learn what was needed? If the answer is yes, the instructor can move forward. If students did not learn the required skill sets, instructors can then use the information from the assessment and make the necessary adjustments.
Have a great day!
Al
One of the first things that comes to mind is, does the teacher have a clear understanding of the objectives, and was (s)he able to connect those with student learning. Secondly, especially for our school, do those skills that are being assesed relate to the real-world.
Well.... this is a great question, I am finding that my current class is a misfit class, they agree to the class policies, but is then offended when they are held accountable for the guidelines. The most important aspect is they have to be committed to the expectations. The second thing is they have to have the ownership, and know that it is not the school's fault that life's interruptions happen. I give my students every opportunity to complete the information. 5 weeks clips by in a hurry. I did feel sorry for some early on, but learned quickly that giving in was not in their best interest. Our program is designed for the 5 week rotation, not for all weeks in five days. I try to let them know at all times that they need to keep in step but they do like to press the button, and make that bar level fall down around them.
Honesty, clarity, from me is the best assistance that I can give my students. If they have time management difficulties, false hopes that they can complete this in 5 days are not likely.
It is important to understand what the student has gained and also areas in need for improvement. Through the reflection of assessments as an instructor you are able to truly enhance the online setting.
The goal in a summative assessment is to measure, at a certain time, what the student has learned relative to the outcomes/objectives. I am an advocate for learning about real world applications. Therefore making the connection between what is being assessed in the classroom and the knowledge and skills that are relevant to the workplace helps the student see the importance of what they are learning as it relates to real world applications.
One of the outcomes we hope to get from the summative assessments is "Did the student learn enough to make the connection from the class and the real world application. If the student didn't learn enough about the subject, then are they going to be capable of landing that dream job?
The second outcome would be for me as an instructor. Did I teach them what they needed to know to be successful in that field. If not, then I need to redesign my class.
Dr. Wilkinson,
I believe the two most important items to consider when using summative assessments are the course objectives and the level of knowledge being assessed.
An instructor needs to evaluate the extent in which each assessment measures the learning objectives of the course. They also need to look at what level is being assessed. The goal is for students to reach those higher learning skills so they can take the information learned and apply it in different situations.
Sincerely,
Dr. Laura Pogue
Hello Dr. Wilkinson,
One of the things that I do appreciate about online education is having the ability to ask questions to get the students involved, but also the assessment factor is quite interesting to observe and keep track. I think of summative assessments as cumulative examinations that are given at the end of the lesson or course. In between, however, I do feel that formative evaluations are needed in order to have a proper summative evaluation to "assess" what the student has learned. One of the tips or strategies that I read in the readings that I support is "linking summative assessment to real world application. Teaching in a vocational setting, real world application becomes important to apply as it leads to the student's success in their career.
Cheers
Dr. E Somnarain
When conducting a summative assessment, the two most important things to consider are: 1) how much information will be included in the summative assessment? 2) Does the summative assessment measure what is intended?
1 - If there is too much information, the summative assessment results may be skewed based on the entirety of information. Too much information is not necessarily a good thing. If there is a lot of information to consider, one may break down the assessments in two or three, then revise a final summative assessment if it is needed. If too little information is included, the results may be skewed based on the simplicity. One will not know if learning actually took place. If too little information is present, add on to the assessment to measure learning.
2 - As always, is the assessment measuring the intended outcome/objective. If not, one needs to change it. Assessments should always measure what is intended for the student learning.
1-Did students learn and understand the information provided?
2-Did students relate this information to the real world?
Marie Moran
Charlotte:
This seems to me to be easier said than done! Effective discussion in the classroom can assess the students in that regard and find out how much they know. Also, the instructor has to be extremely careful when posing these discussion questions to his or her students and be considerate of their learning styles.
First, does the summative accessment cover the main points (objectives) of the course. Second, will the student's response give me a true indication of how well he/she understands the material that was presented.
Summative assessments are used to determine the students’ level of understanding and/or ability to apply the course objectives. They are used to determine grades as well as determine if additional time needs to be spent to get a lesson fully understood. When performing the assessment the two most important aspects is ensuring the right parts of the lesson are being assessed in a manner that flows with the way the material was presented. The second important aspect is to tie the assessment to a value the student appreciates and can understand the value of completing the assessment successfully. If you do not include these two elements in the assessment you will not have student buy in or possible results with any real value.
I believe this needs to be in two parts..
1) Let the student know what they have done that is good.
2) Let them know how they can do it even better next time.
When conducting summative assessments, what do you believe are the two most important things to consider?
1. Summative assessments serve as an accountability measure that is typically represented as a grade earned. Hence, the outcome of summative assessments is a judgment of student competency at the end of the instructional phase.
2. Summative assessments serve as a way to determine if students have mastered the outcomes/objectives or to identify if they need remedial work in specific areas.
corinne,
Great answer! You do need to determine is that the best way to collect the data.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Merle,
You make a great point! You are right. You do need to tell students what they are doing right. We do neglect that don't we?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
